1733. A person who cannot fast due to old age, or because it entails hardship for him, is excused from fasting. In the latter case, he must give fidyah for each missed fast, which is one mudd of staple food. The recommended precaution is that he give wheat in particular.
1734. If a person who did not fast due to old age, is able to fast after the month of Ramadan, he will not have to observe the qaÃÁ of the missed fasts.
1735. If a person is afflicted with an illness that makes him extremely thirsty, and he is unable to bear the thirst, or it entails hardship for him, then he is excused from fasting. However, in the latter case, he must give one mudd of staple food to a needy person for each missed fast. The recommended precaution is that he avoid drinking more than what he is compelled to consume. If he develops the ability to fast after the month of Ramadan, there is no qaÃÁ for the missed fasts.
1736. If a pregnant woman is close to her delivery date, and fasting is harmful for her or her baby, her fast is not valid. In the latter case, she should give one mudd of staple food to a needy person. The same applies to the first case as well, based on recommended precaution. She must also observe the qaÃÁ of the fasts that she missed.
1737. If a woman is nursing a child, and her milk supply is less, regardless of whether she is the mother of the child or not, and regardless of whether she is being hired to give milk or not provided that fasting is harmful for the baby she is nursing or for herself, her fast is not valid. In the first case (harm to the baby), she must give one mudd of staple food to a needy person, and similarly in the latter case, based on recommended precaution. She must also observe the qaÃÁ of the fasts that she missed.
The above ruling only applies in the case where the child cannot be milk-fed in any other manner. If it is possible, then it is obligatory for her to fast.
